Introduction
Did you finish reading Jessica Brody’s Save the Cat! Writes a Novel (SCWN) feeling like you finally had a handle on how to write your novel using the Save the Cat Beat Sheet? But then when you went to write it, you still struggled?
If so, you’ve come to the right place. The Save the Cat Beat Sheet is a great resource for new writers who want to learn about story structure. However, when I first read Save the Cat! Writes a Novel, I found myself wishing the beats had been discussed more comprehensively.
For example, in the section on the Debate beat, Brody provides us with two options: the hero can (1) mull over the decision of whether to go to the upside-down world, or (2) prepare for their journey to the upside-down world. But, as will be shown in Part 4 of this series, there are several other actions a hero can take during the Debate.
Therefore, I wrote this Editor’s Guide to Save the Cat Story Structure to expand on the advice presented in SCWN and offer slightly different ways of thinking about the beats. My goal with this series is to aid your understanding of the Save the Cat storytelling method and help you push through any beats that are giving you trouble.
Series Overview
After the current article, which introduces this series, the next nine parts of this series will take you act by act, explaining in detail the purpose of each of the fifteen beats that make up the Save the Cat Beat Sheet. This series will also show you the most common actions that heroes might take—and what kinds of things could happen to them—during each beat. The series ends with two in-depth scene-by-scene analyses (one for a movie and one for a novel) to highlight how the Save the Cat Beat Sheet operates in practice.
The remainder of this first article is organized as follows:
First, I give a refresher of the Save the Cat Beat Sheet by briefly outlining the fifteen beats that make up the Save the Cat story structure.
Then, to help you better conceptualize the fifteen beats, I show you how I categorize them into three types: goal-formation beats, multi-scene beats, and non-plot beats.
I then provide an abbreviated analysis of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz so you can see how the different categories of beats work together to form a novel that satisfies the human brain’s hardwiring for receiving stories.
Two Quick Notes Before We Begin
First, this Editor’s Guide to Save the Cat Story Structure assumes that you have read Jessica Brody’s Save the Cat! Writes a Novel (or Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel). If you haven’t read this book yet, I strongly recommend doing so before starting this series since I refer to it frequently.
Second, the trouble with guidelines of any kind is that they need to be general enough for a wide audience to take advantage of them. However, story structure is an inexact science, and each story is unique. Therefore, as you read, keep in mind that there are exceptions to virtually every piece of advice given both in SCWN and in this series. I’ve done my best to point out the most common exceptions, but it would be impossible to list them all.
With that in mind, I encourage you to consider my advice while writing your novel, but don’t trust me more than you trust yourself. If your intuition tells you to deviate from the Save the Cat Beat Sheet, then you probably should.
What Is the Save the Cat Beat Sheet?
As a refresher, the Save the Cat Beat Sheet is a 15-point story-outlining method that screenwriters and novelists use to ensure their story's structure and pacing align with what audiences find engaging.
Since the beat sheet provides writers with 15 signposts, it is a good option for beginners who want close guidance when outlining their stories. Also, since Blake Snyder originally created the Save the Cat method with Hollywood blockbuster movies in mind, it is ideal for authors of commercial fiction.
Having said that, authors who are writing literary fiction or who want to be free to experiment with story structure will probably not find the Save the Cat method very helpful.
Save the Cat Beats and Percentages
Below, I briefly describe each of the fifteen beats in the Save the Cat Beat Sheet as a refresher for those who need one. If you’re confident in your basic understanding of the beats, feel free to skip this section.
Note: The percentages given represent where in the story each beat should occur according to the beat sheet. However, these percentages are flexible. Especially if you're using the beat sheet to write a novel, the percentages should really be used as general guidelines, not as rules. Throughout this series, I will provide broader ranges that you should shoot for with each beat.
1. Opening Image (0–1%)
The Opening Image is, as Brody states, “a ‘before’ snapshot of your hero and their world.” Usually, nothing happens here to drive the plot; we’re just providing the story’s starting point and getting the reader acquainted with the hero.
2. Setup (0–10%)
The purposes of the Setup, among others, are to establish the status quo world and its inhabitants, as well as to highlight the protagonist’s most noteworthy traits and flaws.
3. Theme Stated (5%)
The Theme Stated is a sentence that hints at the Truth the hero must learn. The hero will either ignore or disagree with this statement to highlight that they aren’t yet ready to see the Truth.
4. Catalyst (10%)
The Catalyst is the first goal-formation beat in a story. Since the Catalyst is often unexpected and devastating, it usually causes the hero to create a goal that involves simply finding their bearings. The goal might be to gain information (e.g., to find out how to get back home), make a big decision (e.g., to decide whether it’s worth $100,000 to spend a night in the most haunted house in the world), or simply survive if the Catalyst is life-threatening.
5. Debate (10–20%)
The hero typically spends the Debate beat taking the initial steps toward dealing with the problem created by the Catalyst. For instance, they might gather information, weigh the pros and cons of a decision they must make, or prepare for a big upcoming event or journey.
6. Break Into 2 (20%)
The Break Into 2 is where the story really gets going, as it signals the end of Act 1. Regardless of what the Debate entails, the result will be the formation of a new long-term goal that requires the hero to truly begin their adventure in the upside-down world.
Since the hero has spent the Debate assessing their new situation, the goal formed in the Break Into 2 should be more focused than the goal formed during the Catalyst. This new goal should remain the hero’s primary goal at least until the Midpoint and perhaps for the remainder of the story.
7. B Story (22%)
The B Story beat introduces the main B story character, who in some way represents the Truth that the hero must learn. While the B story character will impact the hero’s actions and decisions throughout the story, this particular beat does not usually directly influence the plot. We’re just getting to know this new character and getting a sense of their similarities to and differences from the hero.
8. Fun and Games (20–50%)
In the Fun and Games, the hero is either floundering or thriving in the upside-down world. Either way, they will form a series of short-term goals and overcome obstacles on their way to accomplishing the long-term goal formed in the Break Into 2. Typically, during this beat, the hero is trying, as Brody puts it, to “fix things the wrong way.”
9. Midpoint (50%)
Because the hero was trying to fix things the wrong way throughout the Fun and Games, at the Midpoint, they will either (a) fail to achieve their long-term goal or (b) achieve the long-term goal in what turns out to be a false victory. Either way, the hero has not found happiness and is forced to acknowledge that they have been going about things the wrong way.
The hero now realizes the long-term goal they formed in the Break Into 2 needs to be tweaked or scrapped and replaced with a new one. Compared to the goal formed at the Break Into 2, the goal formed at the Midpoint should be less reflective of what the hero wants and more reflective of what they need.
10. Bad Guys Close In (50–75%)
The Bad Guys Close In resembles the Fun and Games on the surface. They both comprise a series of scenes depicting the hero’s attempts to achieve short-term goals and overcome obstacles as they pursue a long-term goal.
However, this beat’s emotional undertone should oppose that of the Fun and Games. If the hero was thriving in the Fun and Games, they should now be struggling and vice versa. Another contrast between these beats is that the protagonist should be trying to fix things the right way during the Bad Guys Close In.
11. All Is Lost (75%)
Unlike the Midpoint, which can be either a false victory or a false defeat, the All Is Lost is always a defeat—and a whopper of one at that. The defeat is usually so bad that the long-term goal the hero has been working toward now seems either impossible or completely pointless. Therefore, in this beat, the hero usually gives up on their long-term goal. If they do form a new goal, it is something to the tune of “I just want to forget any of this ever happened.”
12. Dark Night of the Soul (75–80%)
The Dark Night of the Soul is unlike the two previous multi-scene beats; its woeful nature means the hero is too depressed and unmotivated to form any short-term goals, never mind putting in the effort to accomplish them. Therefore, the hero is more likely to be reflecting instead of acting during this unique multi-scene beat. The reflection process eventually results in an epiphany, which leads us to the Break Into 3.
13. Break Into 3 (80%)
In the Break Into 3, the hero decides on a new long-term goal based on the Dark Night Epiphany. By this point, the hero will have undergone a transformation and learned the Truth. Therefore, the goal formed in this beat is the goal that, once accomplished, will finally make the hero feel complete. It’s also the goal that requires the most persistence, bravery, selflessness, or whatever virtue the Truth is based on.
14. Finale (80–99%)
The Finale—like the Fun and Games and Bad Guys Close In—sees the hero accomplishing a series of short-term goals on their way to accomplishing the long-term goal formed in the Break Into 3. Assuming your story has a happy ending, the protagonist will achieve their goal, and this time, it will not be a false victory. It will be the real deal.
15. Closing Image (99–100%)
The Closing Image beat ties a nice bow on everything. This is the “after” snapshot, whose contrast with the Opening Image emphasizes that the hero’s life and/or the world around them is a better place owing to their acceptance of the Truth.
You probably noticed that I’ve been using the word “goal” a lot. That’s because your hero’s goals are what propel every scene in a novel and, in turn, the entire novel’s plot. A goalless scene is a soulless scene. It’s not actually, but it rhymed, so I had to say it. But still, goals are very important; they anchor a story and keep it from drifting off into nowhere.
Therefore, in the next section, we’ll look at how the fifteen beats can be categorized based on their relation to the hero’s goals.
Three Kinds of Beats
Not all the beats are created equal. Some of them, like the Midpoint, have a massive impact on the direction a story takes; others, like the Theme Stated, do not. Some beats are very long, while others are very short. Some focus on plot, others on character.
In SCWN, Brody divides the fifteen beats into two groups: there are nine “single-scene beats” and six “multi-scene beats.” The problem with differentiating beats in this way is that it doesn’t capture the primary purpose of each beat in terms of plot. Therefore, I think this can be improved upon. Specifically, I like to divide the single-scene beats into two smaller categories, giving us three categories in total:
1. There are five single-scene beats that directly impact the plot:
Catalyst
Break Into 2
Midpoint
All Is Lost
Break Into 3
2. There are six multi-scene beats that have many purposes, including advancing the plot, developing character, and exploring theme.
Setup
Debate
Fun and Games
Bad Guys Close In
Dark Night of the Soul
Finale
3. There are four single-scene beats that do not directly impact the plot:
Opening Image
Theme Stated
B Story
Closing Image
A note on nomenclature: To avoid writing “single-scene beats that directly impact the plot” every time I refer to these beats, I call them “goal-formation beats” throughout this series. For similar reasons, “single-scene beats that do not directly impact plot” are called “non-plot beats.” Finally, since “multi-scene beats” is short enough, I haven’t altered that term.
The three categories of beats are described in more detail below.
Goal-Formation Beats
The goal-formation beats are the Catalyst, Break Into 2, Midpoint, All Is Lost, and Break Into 3. These beats are the cornerstones of plot structure. Almost all authors have at least some idea of what will happen during these beats before they begin drafting, even if they know nothing else about how the story will unfold.
These beats drive a story’s plot by instigating significant changes that force the hero into new situations and/or to change their mindset. The hero would be forever stuck in their status quo world if not for the Catalyst, they would be forever stuck in the Debate beat if not for the Break Into 2, and so on. Therefore, nailing these beats is crucial to telling a well-structured story. If any part of your manuscript is meandering or feels too slow, the problem could be that one of these beats is missing or misplaced.
The events that take place during a goal-formation beat cause the hero to either create a new long-term goal or modify their existing one (e.g., the hero might learn they have much less time to accomplish their goal than they thought, leading them to adopt a riskier and more reckless strategy). The goal formed during one of these beats carries the narrative all the way through the following multi-scene beat.
To clarify, heroes might make small adjustments to their long-term goals and form new short-term goals during multi-scene beats (as explained in my Editor’s Guide to Scene Structure, every scene should start with a new short-term goal). However, it is only in the five goal-formation beats that the hero should significantly alter their long-term goal.
Multi-Scene Beats
The multi-scene beats are the Setup, Debate, Fun and Games, Bad Guys Close In, Dark Night of the Soul, and Finale. After the hero decides on a new long-term goal during a goal-formation beat, the following multi-scene beat shows the hero’s attempts to reach that goal. They do this by taking on a series of smaller short-term goals and overcoming barriers that the antagonistic force puts in the way.
Since these lengthy multi-scene beats are quite long, they give the author plenty of room to provide backstory, foreshadow future events, explore relationships between characters, and do all kinds of other things that do not directly advance the plot.
As the hero achieves their short-term goals, they will eventually progress far enough that they are one step away from achieving their long-term goal. Whether they succeed or fail, the outcome will force them to readjust their long-term goal.
This alternation between goal-formation and multi-scene beats repeats until the story’s conclusion. There are also four other beats thrown in there—namely, the non-plot beats.
Non-Plot Beats
The non-plot beats are the Opening Image, Theme Stated, B Story, and Closing Image. These beats are unified not by plot but by theme. Since theme is not within the scope of this series, I will not make any general comments about these beats here. Everything you need to know about them is provided in later articles in this series.
So far, we’ve been working in abstract terms, which can make concepts difficult to grasp. Therefore, below, I’ve provided an analysis to clarify the roles of the different types of beats and show how they work in harmony to create a pattern that readers find satisfying.
Quick Save the Cat Analysis: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
I end this introductory article with a quick analysis of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz to clarify how the alternation between multi-scene and goal-formation beats applies in practice. I chose this book for its straightforward plot, which makes it easy to focus solely on how Dorothy’s formation and accomplishment of various goals move the plot forward.
Setup (0–1%)
Through the Opening Image (1%), we get a strong sense of how dull and grey Dorothy’s status quo world is.
Catalyst (1–6%)
A cyclone is coming. Before Dorothy can get to the cellar, her house begins rising into the air with her and Toto in it. The house soars through the air for hours, and Dorothy falls asleep.
She wakes up, observes her new surroundings, and is introduced to the people of the Land of Oz. She also learns some things about this strange land.
Note: Although this kind of information is typically learned in the Fun and Games, it can be done earlier. This is common when the hero is transported into the upside-down world setting during Act 1.
Dorothy is also given the silver shoes of the Wicked Witch of the East, who Dorothy crushed with her house. The shoes ultimately help her accomplish her main long-term goal.
Dorothy then says, “I am anxious to get back to my aunt and uncle, for I am sure they will worry about me.” This is the question form of Dorothy’s first long-term goal (i.e., Dorothy wants to find her way back home).
Note that this is not just any long-term goal; this is what I call the “story-level goal.” Throughout the story, Dorothy will form other long-term (beat-level) goals that are subordinate to the story-level goal.
Dorothy also asks the Good Witch of the North, “Can you help me find my way?” From this (and based on what happens during the Debate), we can imply that Dorothy’s beat-level goal is to determine the best way to get home.
Debate (6–9%)
Dorothy, the Munchkins, and the Good Witch debate how Dorothy might get home. After some options are ruled out, the Good Witch suggests that Dorothy take the yellow brick road to the Emerald City to seek help from the great Wizard who lives there.
The Good Witch disappears, and Dorothy makes some preparations for her journey: she has a snack, changes into a clean dress, and fills a basket with bread.
Break Into 2 (9–10%)
Her preparations now complete, Dorothy states to Toto the beat-level goal that will carry the story through the Fun and Games: “We will go to the Emerald City and ask the Great Oz how to get back to Kansas again.” And then she and Toto set off.
Fun and Games (10–41%)
Dorothy travels through the land of the Munchkins for a time.
B Story (11–26%)
Note: The B Story beat of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is unusually long. This is because there are three B story characters of equal importance. Fortunately, since Act 1 was so short, by the time we get to the end of this long B Story beat, we’re about a quarter of the way through the story, which is roughly where we should be according to the Save the Cat Beat Sheet.
Along the yellow brick road, Dorothy encounters the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Lion. Each has his own reasons for wanting to accompany Dorothy to the Emerald City.
Within the B Story beat, we get the Theme Stated (14%), when Dorothy explains to the Scarecrow, “No matter how dreary and gray our homes are, we people of flesh and blood would rather live there than in any other country, be it ever so beautiful.
With the B Story beat over, the author introduces the first obstacles to the beat-level goal. The first one is a ditch in the forest that is too wide to cross. This obstacle gives the party their first short-term (scene-level) goal: to cross the ditch.
Note: We are now working with three levels of goals. Namely, Dorothy must cross the ditch (scene-level goal) so she can get to the Emerald City and see the Wizard (beat-level goal) so she can get back home (story-level goal).
The Lion jumps across the ditch, carrying the other party members on his back, thus accomplishing the initial scene-level goal.
The remainder of the Fun and Games sees our heroes overcome the following scene-level goals on their way to the Emerald City:
Evade the Kalidahs.
Cross the river on the other side of the forest.
Rescue the Scarecrow, who got stuck in the middle of the river.
Cross a field of sleep-inducing poppies.
Note: At no point above does the beat-level goal change—beat-level goals change only during the goal-formation beats.
Our heroes leave for the Emerald City the morning after they cross the field of poppies. They reach the Emerald City by the afternoon.
Now that Dorothy has reached the Emerald City, she is just one step away from achieving her beat-level goal (i.e., she must ask the Wizard for his help). Because of this, the beat-level goal has become the scene-level goal. Whenever this happens, it signifies that we have come to one of the story’s goal-formation beats.
Midpoint (41–52%)
The next morning, Dorothy is summoned by the Wizard. He says Dorothy must kill the Wicked Witch of the West in exchange for her return home to Kansas.
Note: This event does not signal the end of the Midpoint. Although Dorothy has been presented with a call to action, the Midpoint beat isn’t complete until she accepts it. The fact that each of her three friends has a meeting with Oz before Dorothy accepts the task results in an atypically long Midpoint.
The Wizard makes similar deals with the Scarecrow, Woodman, and the Lion. At this point, the Lion states the next beat-level goal: “There is only one thing we can do . . . and that is to go to the land of the Winkies, seek out the Wicked Witch, and destroy her.”
The previous beat-level goal (to go to the Emerald City and ask the Wizard to help Dorothy get back to Kansas) has been modified (it is now to destroy the Wicked Witch so that the Wizard will help Dorothy get back to Kansas). However, the story-level goal of getting back to Kansas has not changed.
The previous long-term goal of getting to the Emerald City carried Dorothy and company all the way through the Fun and Games to the Midpoint. Now, the long-term goal of destroying the Witch and returning to the Emerald City will see our heroes through the Bad Guys Close In to the All Is Lost.
Bad Guys Close In (52–82%)
The party leaves the Emerald City and makes their way west. The scene-level goals tackled during the Bad Guys Close In are:
Fight off the pack of wolves, flock of crows, swarm of bees, and army of slaves sent by the Witch.
Fight off the Winged Monkeys (our heroes fail at this goal).
Escape the Witch’s castle (this is done by destroying the Witch, meaning that the first half of the long-term goal has been completed).
Save the Scarecrow and Woodman, who were previously destroyed by the Winged Monkeys.
Find the yellow brick road (the heroes fail at this, too).
Ask the Winged Monkeys to fly our heroes to the Emerald City.
Convince the Wizard to give our heroes an audience.
Build a balloon on which the Wizard will take Dorothy to Kansas.
Note: As with the Fun and Games, the beat-level and story-level goals never change during the above events.
Once the balloon is constructed, there are no other barriers in the way of the beat-level goal of getting the Wizard’s help returning to Kansas. Therefore, the beat-level goal has once again become the scene-level goal for the upcoming scene. As we saw before, this means we are ready to shift into our next goal-formation beat.
All Is Lost (82%)
The Wizard has the citizens of the Emerald City gather to see him and Dorothy off. As the balloon is filled with hot air, Dorothy is trying to gather Toto, who has chased a cat. Dorothy catches Toto and runs to the balloon, but the rope holding it down snaps before she can get to it. The balloon sails away carrying only the Wizard.
Dorothy has failed to accomplish her beat-level goal. Moreover, as we’d expect from an All Is Lost beat, the story-level goal now seems impossible.
Dorothy’s reaction shows that the modification she has made to her long-term goal is to give up on it: “Dorothy wept bitterly at the passing of her hope to get home to Kansas again.”
Dark Night of the Soul (82–83%)
Note: According to the Save the Cat method, the Dark Night of the Soul should depict the hero wallowing in self-pity and then having an epiphany. However, that does not happen in this story. Instead, this beat is like a second Debate, as the characters discuss Dorothy’s options.
The next day, the party is sitting in the throne room. They discuss the possibility of Dorothy staying in the Emerald City, but Dorothy says she wouldn’t like that. They then ask the Winged Monkeys to carry Dorothy to Kansas, but that is beyond their powers.
Break Into 3 (83–85%)
Our heroes call on the soldier with the green whiskers, who says they might ask Glinda the Good Witch for help. She lives to the south in the land of the Quadlings.
With that, the Scarecrow spells out the new beat-level goal for the Finale: “It seems, in spite of dangers, that the best thing Dorothy can do is to travel to the Land of the South and ask Glinda to help her. For, of course, if Dorothy stays here she will never get back to Kansas.”
Finale (85–100%)
Note: This story’s Finale does not align with the Save the Cat method. Just as the Dark Night of the Soul felt like a second Debate, the Finale feels like a second Fun and Games.
The next day, the party heads south from the Emerald City. The first day passes without any troubles. The next morning, they begin achieving a new series of scene-level goals:
Cross a forest.
Pass through the land of china.
Cross yet another forest.
Pass the hill guarded by the Hammer-Heads.
Reach the palace of Glinda the Good Witch.
After accomplishing the above scene-level goals, our heroes arrive at Glinda’s palace. They ask if Glinda will see them, and they are admitted at once.
Note: We’re at another spot where the beat-level goal has become the scene-level goal. In other words, this would normally be where a new goal-formation beat would begin. However, since this is the Finale, instead of reforming the beat-level goal, Dorothy achieves it (along with the story-level goal).
Dorothy tells Glinda that her greatest wish is to return to Kansas. Glinda explains that Dorothy’s silver shoes have the power to take her back to Kansas. So, after saying goodbye to her friends, Dorothy uses the magic of her shoes to return home, thus accomplishing the story-level goal.
Final Image (100%)
Dorothy soon arrives in Kansas. She runs to her Aunt Em, who hugs and kisses her. Dorothy says, “I’m so glad to be home again!”
Closing Remarks
The main takeaway from this article is that the beats of the Save the Cat Beat Sheet work in harmony to create a cohesive plot in which the hero forms, progresses toward, and reforms a long-term goal.
With this basic understanding of the beats’ purposes, we can now explore each beat in depth throughout the rest of this series. We will begin with the Opening Image, Setup, and Theme Stated in Part 2.
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